1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to computer apparatus, and more particularly relates to the keyboard portions of compact portable computers such as laptop and notebook computers.
2. Description of Related Art
The housing of the separate keyboard portion of a conventional desktop computer is typically configured in a manner such that when its bottom side is rested on a generally horizontal support surface the top side of the keyboard slopes forwardly and downwardly toward the user of the computer. This top side slope positions each rearwardly successive key row at a slightly higher elevation than that of the preceding key row to thereby ergonomically improve user hand and wrist orientation during keyboard use. The conventional provision of recessed, downwardly pivotable support legs on rear underside portions of the keyboard housing allows the desktop computer user to further increase the angle of forward and downward keyboard tilt as typing hand comfort dictates.
Compact portable computers, such as laptop and notebook computers, typically comprise a thin, open-topped rectangular base housing along the back side of which a thin rectangular lid housing is secured for pivotal movement, notebook-like, between a closed storage and transport orientation in which the lid extends across and covers the top side of the base housing, and an open use position in which the lid housing projects upwardly from the base housing.
With the lid housing open, and the bottom side of the base housing resting on a suitable horizontal support surface, a monitor screen carried on the inner side surface of the lid housing faces the computer user. The keyboard structure is anchored within the base housing, with the exposed tops of the keys lying in an essentially horizontal plane parallel to the bottom side surface of the base housing. This, of course, is the typing use orientation of the keyboard--an orientation decidedly less comfortable for the user of the computer than the sloping use orientation available in the separate keyboard structures of desktop computers.
In this typing orientation, the essentially horizontal portable computer keyboard is elevated above the support surface upon which the computer rests a distance of approximately one to two inches. As is well known, extended typing periods with the keyboard in this conventional elevated, horizontal orientation tends to be quite tiring for the computer user.
A critical design criteria for notebook computers is ultra-small size, particularly as to folded housing thickness since a primary advantage of the notebook computer is its ability to fit within a briefcase. Accordingly, the simple expedient of sloping the bottom side of the base housing to correspondingly slope the keyboard during use thereof is typically not employed since to do so would undesirably increase the thickness of the computer in its closed carrying configuration.
Moreover, it is not particularly desirable to provide the underside of the base housing with downwardly pivotable rear support legs because this would markedly reduce the overall stability of the computer during use. Thus, due to the fixed, elevated horizontal keyboard use orientation incorporated in conventional notebook and laptop computers, the users of such computers have heretofore been required to use a typing hand and wrist orientation appreciably less comfortable than that available when a desktop computer is being used.
One proposed method of attempting to provide a notebook computer keyboard with a typing comfort level approaching that of a sloping, separate desktop computer keyboard is to pivotally mount the notebook computer keyboard atop the base housing portion of the computer as shown in U.S. Pat No. 5,168,427 to Clancy et al issued Dec. 1, 1992 and assigned to the assignee of the present application. The notebook computer keyboard illustrated and described in the Clancy et al patent is normally positioned in the usual elevated, generally horizontal typing position when the notebook computer is supported on a horizontal surface with its lid opened.
However, from its initial horizontal position atop the base housing portion the keyboard may be pivoted upwardly and releasably latched in a tilted use orientation in which the keyboard is still positioned atop the base housing portion, but tilts downwardly and forwardly toward the computer user, thereby emulating the sloping use orientation of a separate desktop computer keyboard. Despite this tilted use orientation of the pivotally adjusted notebook computer keyboard the keyboard is still elevated the usual one to two inches above the support surface upon which the opened notebook computer rests. Accordingly, hand and wrist fatigue can still easily set in after lengthy periods of keyboard use.
In view of this it is thus an object of the present invention to provide an electronic device, such as a compact portable computer, with a keyboard portion that may be adjusted, relative to the balance of the computer, to a tilted use orientation having a typing comfort level more closely approximating that of the sloped separate keyboard of a desktop computer.